Rosie Gets A Fossil.

Outside the Visitor Center at Scotts Bluff National Monument several locals had tables set up displaying fossils they had found.

This is a 45 million year old sycamore leaf found in Colorado.

Forget what this is but it sure is purty.

Orthoceras fossil. Only about 200 million years old. From Morocco, I think he said.

Vertebrae of a dinosaur.

I saw this fish fossil and wanted to buy it. "Oh no," the fossil-finder said, "that's a bad fish." Well, I didn't care if it was a bad fish. I still wanted it. "I'm from the Outer Banks of North Carolina. World Class fishing there. Citation fish. I can get all the good fish I want. I want this bad fish." "Nope, I just couldn't sell it to you, but I'll call my wife and she'll bring the good fish fossils for you." "Well, how much is a good fish fossil?" "$15." "OK, well I'll give you $10 for a bad fish fossil." "Hmmm. No can do. Sorry." While waiting for his wife to show up with the "good stuff," Mr. Hawthorne and I left to go to the summit of Scotts Bluff. When we came back down, wifey still hadn't arrived, but in the meantime, a National Park Service Ranger had told Fossil Man that if he sold anything on NPS grounds, he'd be arrested. We were all bemoaning this turn of events, then Kim, the Fossil Man, with a sparkle in his eyes, said, "Well that doesn't mean I can't give you something." As if to spite the Park Service, Kim gave me the "bad" fish fossil I wanted. I got my "bad fish." Free. Hee!

Thanks, Kim, of K & K Minerals in Scottsbluff, NE. K AND K Minerals Kim Nielsen 50434 Leisure Lane Scottsbluff NE 69361 Fossils and Minerals